The instant invention relates to toy dolls and more particularly to a unique and simple toy doll comprising a substantially rigid body member and a substantially rigid, detachable clothing member and to animal and clothing rack accessories for the doll.
Despite the availability of a wide variety of relatively complex life-like dolls it has been found that relatively simple toy dolls continue to have a high degree of popularity with young children. In addition, it has been found that relatively simple dolls which can be readily adapted for use in various different play settings often have particularly high levels of popularity. Still further, it has been found that dolls or portions thereof which are adapted to be assembled with various toy accessories have relatively high levels of popularity among children. However, it has also been found that in most instances the heretofore available relatively simple dolls have not been readily adaptable for use in various different play settings and they have not been adapted to be assembled with various toy accessories.
Doll constructions and similar articles representing the closest prior art to the subject invention of which the applicant is aware are disclosed in the U.S. patents to Hoyt, No. 526,901; Basinger, No. 1,621,231; Campbell, No. 2,028,120; Brundage, No. 2,045,830; Chloupek, No. 2,193,447; Meisenberg, No. 3,075,677; Muggy et al, No. 2,384,330; O'Brian et al, No. 2,944,368; Doyle et al, No. 3,073,059; Doyle et al, No. 3,102,360; Doyle et al, No. 3,252,243; Glass, No. 3,592,469; Nicholson, No. 3,646,705; Coleman, No. 3,668,805; Nishizawa, No. 3,939,604; Crowell et al, No. 4,122,628; Goldfarb et al, No. 4,227,340; Freund, No. 4,805,816; and Zuckerman, No. D-195,069. Of these references, the U.S. patent to Goldfarb et al, No. 4,227,340 is believed to be the most closely related to the doll construction of the subject invention. However, even this reference fails to disclose or suggest a doll construction comprising clothing and body members of the type included in the doll construction of the instant invention and hence the above references are believed to be of only general interest with respect to the subject invention.
The toy doll of the instant invention comprises a substantially rigid free standing body member including a front surface portion and a rearwardly extending peripheral side surface portion and a substantially rigid clothing member including a front plate portion and a rearwardly extending peripheral flange portion. The clothing member is constructed so that it is receivable in engagement on the body member with the front plate portion of the clothing member in substantially aligned relation with the front surface portion and so that the flange portion engages the side surface portion to releasably retain the clothing member on the body member. The front and rear surface portions of the body member are preferably substantially parallel and substantially flat and the front plate portion of the clothing member is preferably also substantially flat. The clothing member is preferably constructed so that it is receivable on the body member so that the front plate portion of the clothing member is in closely spaced substantially parallel relation to the front surface portion of the body member and the body member preferably includes a pair of enlarged foot portions which are operative for supporting the body member and the clothing member in free standing relation on a supporting surface. The doll preferably further comprises fulcrum means on either the rear side of the clothing member or the front side of the body member and the clothing member is preferably constructed so that it is pivotable about the fulcrum means for moving a portion of the clothing member outwardly away from the front surface portion of the body member so that the clothing member can be more easily disassembled from the body member.
The doll of the instant invention is preferably adapted for use in combination with one or more accessories, such as an animal member and a clothing rack. When the doll is adapted for use in combination with an animal member, the body member and the clothing member each include a pair of diverging leg portions and the body member preferably includes a pair of enlarged foot portions which extend inwardly and together slightly from their respective leg portions. The doll member is preferably adapted for use in combination with a four legged variety of animal member including a body section having a back portion and at least two leg portions and the doll member is adapted so that it is receivable on the back portion of the animal member. Further, the animal member preferably includes rib means on each side of the body section and the doll member is constructed so that the foot portions thereof are snap receivable in engagement with the rib means for retaining the doll member on the animal member.
The doll of the subject invention is preferably also adapted for use in combination with a clothing rack and in this case the body member and the clothing member preferably each include a pair of outwardly extending arm portions which define open slots between the arm portions and the torso portion of the doll. The clothing rack accessory preferably includes a main wall portion, means for supporting the main wall portion in a substantially vertical disposition on a supporting surface and means receivable in the open slots between the arm portions and the torso portion of the clothing member for releasably retaining the clothing member on the main wall portion of the clothing rack. When the doll is adapted for use in combination with a clothing rack, the front plate portion of the clothing member preferably has a notch formed in the collar area of the clothing portion and the rack preferably further includes means which is engagable with the front plate portion of the clothing member in the collar notch for further releasably retaining the clothing member on the main wall portion.
It has been found that the doll construction of the instant invention has a significant level of play value whether used alone or in combination with the accessories of the subject invention. Specifically, it has been found that the overall simplicity of the toy doll of the subject invention has significant appeal both from the standpoint of providing a high level of play value and from a cost standpoint. It has been further found that the basically flat construction of the doll of the subject invention enhances the play value thereof by providing a simple yet interesting basic character form. Further, the manner in which the clothing member can be readily detached from the doll member and replaced with a different clothing member and the manner in which the doll can be utilized in combination with the animal and clothing rack accessories enable the doll of the subject invention to be readily adapted for use in a wide variety of play themes and settings.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide an effective doll construction comprising a substantially flat rigid body member and a rigid clothing member which is snap receivable in engagement with the body member.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a relatively simple but appealing toy doll which can be readily adapted for use in various different play settings and themes.
Another object of the instant invention is to provide a toy doll comprising a body member and a clothing member which can be effectively utilized in combination with an animal member accessory and/or a clothing rack accessory.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.